Cabinet for type-writing machines.



G. W. DUNNING.

CABINET FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21. 1008.

993,588. Patented May 30,1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR WITNIISSES: g 1

@ H 15 ATTORW G. W. DONNING.

CABINET FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1008.

993,588. Patented May 30,1911.

G. W. DONNING.

CABINET FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1908.

Patented May 30, 1911.

e SHEETS-SHEET a.

INVENTOR- a e/$1M;

. 1 I ATORNEYS. 4

G. W. DONNING.

CABINET FOR TYPEWBITING MAGHINES.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1908.

' .993,588. Patented May 30,1911

8 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

3 In H %%VENTOR: BY

H HIS ATTOW w WWW I. 0 S E S S E N n W G. W. DONNING.

CABINET FOR TYPE WRITING MAGHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.Z1, 1908.

Patented May 30, 1911.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

WITNES SES:

G. W. DONNING.

CABINET FOR TYPE WRITING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1908.

Patented May 30, 1911.

6 8HIIETS-8HBET 6.

I R O T G N H E 4 W 2 H 7 .l 7 1.1 1/ 4 4f K 7 a H H H I I n,

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. DONIHNG, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 HARRY T. AMBROSE, OF

ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

CABINET FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

Application filed August 21, 1908. Serial No. 449,684.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DQNNING, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinets forType-\Vriting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the .art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

The invention relates to improvements in cabinets for typewritingmachines, and more particularly for use with machines of the fiat-platentype, although it is susceptible of use also with machines embodying around platen.

The present invention is adapted to that type of cabinets in which thetypewriter is positioned upon a hinged drop-table adapted to fold downinto the lower portion of the cabinet, the lid or cover being connectedto the said table and operating to close the top when the machine islowered into the cabinet, and out of use.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a means for locking thedrop-table in its raised or operative position, there being suitableinstrumentalitics for releasing the locking means. The purpose of such aconstruction is to prevent the accidental or unintentional lowering ofthe typewriter table, by some one leaning upon the same, or otherwise,which is likely to cause damage to the machine, and further, to obviatethe lowering of themachine when the parts are not in their properpositions, as for instance, when the carriage is out of position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of automatic devicesfor'permitting release of the locking means, the operation of suchautomatic devices being dependent on the position of one of the movableelements of the structure, as for instance, the line-spacing carriage ofa flatplaten machine, so that the typewriter table is locked in itsnormal raised position, and cannot be lowered until the line-spacingcarriage is moved back to the rear portion of the track-rails, at whichtime it cooperates to permit the locking meansto be released, and permitthe typewriter to be lowered.

With these several objects and advantages in view, my improvementincludes, in its preferred embodiment, the form ofconstructionhereinafter described in detail, more particularly pointed out in theappended claims, and shown fully in the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cabinet equipped with my improveddevice. Fig. 2 is a view showing the parts in detail of the copy-holderor support. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of'tho track-frame, linespacingcarriage, and locking means; also, showing the cooperation between thelocking means and the line-spacing carriage. Fig. 4

is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3. Fig; 5 is aperspective view showing the cabinet closed. Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken vertically through the cabinet, the cover being closed. Fig. 7 isa view similar to Fig. 6, with the cover raised.

Fig. 8 is a detail view of the cover showing which is provided with thecover A and the side leaves A A is the typewriter drop-table, connectedto the cover A by the links A".

B is a shaft which is journaled in the brackets B secured to the tableA. Fastencd to the shaft B at both ends are :the locking catches B,adapted to engage the lugs B secured to the cabinet frame, as

shown clearly in Fig. 4. Also fast on the shaft B is a collar whichcarries the anglelever B for a purpose presently to be described.

B is a spring, one end of which is secured to the shaft B, the other endbein attached to the stationary plate B", carried by the table A, thetendency of the spring being to turnthe shaft B in a direction to holdthe catches 'B in engagement with lugs B. Pivoted to the plate B is anarm B having an upward projecting finger B", and carrying a pin B normalthe path of angle-lever B".

B is a spring attached to the plate B and connected to arm B, therebyserving to hold said arm normally against the stoppin B".

y lying in represents the track-rails and C the line;spacing carriage ofthe usual form of Donning flat-platen machine.

C is a bar secured to the rear of the linespacing carriage by means ofthe lugs C and adapted to engage the finger B", when the carriage ismoved to the rear of the track-rails. In-the normal position, or thatshown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the carriage at the front part of thetrack-rails, the arm B is in its forward position, causing pin B to liein the path of angle-lever B and prevent the forward movement thereof.The shaft B is held against forward rotation by the positioning ofangle-lever B against the pin B and by spring B, and hence thelocking-catches B are in engagement with the lugs 13*, whereby loweringof the table A is prevented. As soon as the carriage G, however, movesrearwardly far enough, the bar C engages the finger B and rocks the armB rearward, which moves the pin B downward and out of the path ofanglelever B. The handle E may then be operated whereby the shaft B isturned, and the locking-catches B are moved forwardly out of engagementwith the lugs B. The table A is then. free to be lowered into thecabinet, into the position shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Disposed in the bottom of the cabinet is a normally non-rotatabletransverse supporting-rod or shaft D. A spring D has one end attached tothis shaft and its other end secured to the inner peripheral wall of arevoluble drum'or casing D encircling the shaft. Winding upon the outerperiphery. of the drum is a band D which connects at its other end tothe table-top A and is supported intermediate of its ends upon a pulleyD When the table-top is lowered from its raised position (Fig. 7) toitslowermost position (Fig. 6), the upper end of the band will be drawndownward, and the upward'pull on the other portion of the band causes itto unwind from the drum and rotate this drum, clockwise, on the shaft,

and tension the spring contained therein and which is connected to thestationary shaft. Then, when the table-top is to be raised, thestructure thus described will, by reason of the tension on the spring,tend to counter balance or over-balancethe weight of the table-top andits supported parts, so that it can be moved with facility.

' D is a. hinged panel adapted to be held in place by the spring-latchesD", in order to permit access to the lower part of the cabinet.

In another aspect, the automatic means is omitted, and manually-operateddevices re-.,

tained, as shown in Fig. 10. To this end, I attach a rod E to one of thecatches B and connect this rod to a pivoted lever E, as shown in Figs. 7and 10. Carried by the lever E is a handle E for operating the same. Bymoving the handle forwardly, the lever E is rocked, pulling the rod E inthe same direction, and moving the catches B out of engagement with thelugs B*. As the table A is lowered, the connecting links A serve to alsolower the cover A, and close the top of the cabinet. I frequently employthe hand operated attachment with the round-platen machine, although, ofcourse, I may by slight changes, adapt the automatically operatedconstruction to the roundplaten machines, and I desire this to beincluded within the scope of my invention. Herein I have illustrated thestructure as including a line-spacing carriage of a flat platentypewriter, which carriage is adapted to be moved back and forth on thetrack C. This line-spacing carriage is a horizontally shiftable, as wellas a horizontally traveling, means or member for operating parts of thestructure to effect a release of the locking means. This carriage, asherein contemplated, is a machine, wherefor, when I herein refer tohorizontally traveling means horizontally shiftable member, travelingmeans, traveling member machine-operated and expressions of like import,I intend to be understood as referring to the line-space carriage of thestructure, or, in instances where there is no linespace carriage, but,instead, a typewriting machine which is shiftable back and forth isdisclosed, these expressions would refer to such machine; or, if themachine is not shiftable, but a shiftable element thereof or operatingin connection therewith is employed for performing the functiondescribed, then the applicable expressions referred to would havereference to such. an arrangement of parts.

F designates a pencil tray, and G are clips secured to the cover forsupporting a pad or blotter, these being parts generally employed with acabinet of this character, and constituting no part of my invention.

I will now describe the copy-holder or support, of which mention haspreviously been made in the foregoing description. H designates groovesin the under face of the cover A, and H are plates secured to the coverand overlying a portion of the grooves (see Fig. 2). .H is theclip-supporting member, provided with the ears H and the downwardextending inverted T-shaped lugs H which engage in the groove H,underlying the plates H'. H is the clip or holder, which is pivoted tothe ears H by the ears H being held in place by a pin H. H is a springstruck out from the clip and serving to hold the engaging portion H downagainst the paper. II is the handpiece for raising the clip. Generally,there are three or more'of these clipsemployed on the cover, and I may,in some instances use a common releasing means for all of them,

as shown in Fig. 10. This consists of a shaft K, having a hand-operatinglever K, and underlying each of the clips. To the shaft is secured anarm K adapted to engage the clip and lift the same whenever the shaft isturned, thus releasing the sheet simultaneously at all points. L is ashelf for supporting the lower end of the sheet.

Sometimes, the cover is of such length, that it is preferable to form itin two parts, hinged together, as shown in Fig. 8. In such a form ofconstruction, I omit the shelf L, and use in lieu thereof, a pluralityof spring plungers M which, when the up er sectionof the cover is throwndown, a ut the remaining part of the cover, and are forced out toconstitute a support for the lower edge of the copy. Under someconditions, I may so connect the parts that the writing mechanismunlocks the table, instead of merely releasing the controlling device,and thus the cover may be operated without the employment of any manualmeans.

Although I have shown the invention in a particular embodiment, this isonly a preferred form and is intended to illustrate merely oneapplication of the idea involved. It is to be understood that I machange the present structure, as warranted by circumstances, in variousparticulars, and not in any way depart from the spirit or scope of theinvention as herein set forth.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a cabinet, a machine-supporting drop-table therein, atypewriting-m'aehine sustained thereby, locking mechanism for retainingsaid table in raised position, and shiftable lock-releasing meansincluding said typewriting machine for actuating said locking-mechanismwhen said shiftable means is positioned in engagement with saidmechanism.

2. In a typewriter cabinet, a drop-table therein, a typewriting machinemovably mounted on said table to shift horizontally thereon, means forlocking the table in raised position, and instrumentalities operated by,and during the travel of, the typewriter for releasing said lockingmeans.

3. In a typewriter cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine,of a droptable for supporting the same, means for locking the table inraised position, and instrumentalities connected to a movable element ofsaid typewriter for releasing the locking means.

4. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine, a movablecarriage included thereby, a drop-table for supporting the typewriter,means for locking the table 1 in raised position, and instrumentalitiescontrolled by said movable carriage for releasing the lockin means.

5. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine, including aline-space carriage, a drop-table for supporting saidtypewriting-machine, means for locking the table in raised osition, andinstrumentalities controlled by said line-space carriage for releasingthe locking means.

6. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine, includingtrack-rails and a carriage movable thereover for line spacing, adrop-table for supporting said machine, means for locking the tab e inraised position, and instrumentalities controlled b said carriage duringits travel upon saitl track-rails for releasing the looking means.

In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine, includingtrack-rails and a carriage movable thereover for line spacing, adrop-table for supporting said machine, means for locking the table inraised position and instrumentalities for releasing the locking meanswhen the linespace carriage reaches the rear portion of saidtrack-rails.

8. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including aline-space carriage, a drop-table for supportin said machine, means forlocking the ta 1c in raised position, and instrumentalities forreleasing the locking means at the limit of the rearward movement of theline-space carriage.

9. In a cabinet, the combination with. a shiftable typewriting-machine,of a droptable for supporting said machine, lugs carried by the cabinet,locking-catches mounted on the drop-table for engagement with said lugs,and actuatin means released by contact therewith of said shiftablemachine for moving said catches out of engagement with the lugs.

10. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine includin acarriage, a drop-table for supporting sai machine, lugs carried by thecabinet, locking-catches mounted on said drop-table and adapted toengage with the aforementioned lu s, ac-

tuating means arranged in the path 0 movement of said carriage andadapted to be released thereby, and means for moving said catches out ofengagement with said lugs.

11. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including aline-space carriage, a drop-table for supporting said machine, lugscarried by the cabinet, a shaft mounted on the table, locking-catchescarried by said shaft and adapted to engage the aforementioned lugs, andmeans controlled by said line-space carriage for moving the catches outof engagement with the lugs.

12. In a cabinet, the combination with a aypewriting-machine including acarriage, a rop-table for supporting said machine, lugs carried by thecabinet, lockiugcatches mounted adjacent the rear portion of saiddrop7table and adapted for engagement with said lugs, a catch-actuatingdevice arranged in the path of movement of said carriage and adapted tobe shifted thereby, and manually-controlled means for disengaging saidcatches from said lugs.

13. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including acarriage, a drop-table for supporting said machine, lugs carried by thecabinet, a shaft mounted on said drop-table and in the path of movementof said carriage for co-action therewith, locking-catches carried bysaid shaft for engagement with the aforementioned lugs, means operatedby the co-action of said carriage and shaft for releasing said catches,and means for moving the latter out of engagement with the lugs.

14:. In a cabinet, the combination with a machine-member and adrop-table for supporting said machine-member, of means for locking saiddrop-table in its raised position, mechanism actuatedby movement of saidmachine-member for releasing said locking-means, and manually-controlledde vices for actuating said locking-means when released.

15. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including acarriage, a drop-table for supporting said machine, lugs carried by thecabinet, a shaft mounted on the drop-table and with which said carriageis adapted to co-act, locking-catches carried by said shaft and adaptedto engage with said lugs, means for retaining said catches and lugs inengagement and adapted to be released by the co-action of said carriageand shaft, and a hand-controlled device adapted to disengage saidcatches from the lugs when said retaining means is released.

16. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including alinespace carriage, a drop-table for. supporting the machine, lugscarried by the cabinet, a shaft mounted on said drop-table,locking-catches carried by said shaft for engagement with theaforementioned lugs, means for normally locking the shaft againstmovement in one direction, and instrumentalities controlled by theline-space carriage for releasing said locking means.

17. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine includingaline-space I carriage, a drop-table for supporting said machine, lugscarried by the cabinet, a shaft mounted on the drop-table,locking-catches carried by said shaft for engagement with theaforementioned lugs, an angle-lever fixedly mounted on said shaft, anabutment normally engaging said angle-lever and means controlled by theline-space carriage for moving said abutment out of engaging position. V

18. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including aline-space carriage, a drop-table for supporting said machine, lugscarried by the cabinet, a shaft mounted on the drop-table,locking-catches carried by the shaft for engagement with theaforementioned lugs, an angle-lever fixedly mounted on the shaft, aplate pivoted upon said table and provided with an abutment normally inengagement with said angle-lever, and means including a traveling partof said line-space carriage for removing said plate out of normalposition.

19. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including aline-space carriage, a drop'table for supporting said machine, lugscarried by the cabinet, a shaft mounted on the table, locking-catchescarried by said shaft for engagement with the aforementioned lugs, anangle-lever fixedly mounted on said shaft, a bar mounted upon theline-space carriage, a plate pivotallysecured'to said table and providedwith an abutment normally in engagement with the aforementionedangle'lever, and a finger projecting from said plate and lying in thepath of the aforementioned bar whereby to move the plate out of normalposition.

20. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine, of adrop-table for supporting the same, an automatically op erating lock forlocking the table in raised position, a lock-controlling element adaptedto be engaged and actuated by said typewriting-machine, and means forunlocking said droptable.

21. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting machine comprisinga shiftable member, of a drop-table for supporting the same, means forlocking the table in raised position, and means actuated by saidshiftable member of the machine for releasing said locking-means.

2-2. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting machine comprisinga shiftable member, of a drop-table for supporting the machine,automatic means for locking the table in raised position, and meanscontrolled by said shiftable member of the machine for releasing saidlocking means.

23. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including ashiftable member, a drop-table for supporting the same, means forlocking the table in raised position, co-acting means in the path ofmovement of said shiftable member for releasing said locking means, andmeans for actuating said locking-means.

24. Ina cabinet, the combination with a movable drop-table, means forlocking the table in raised position, a typewriting-machine sustained bysaid drop-table, and means coacting with said locking means andcontrolled by the position of said typewriting-machine for releasing thesame.

25. In a cabinet, the combination with a drop-table adapted to occupy'aplurality of positions, means for locking the same In one of itspositions, a shiftable typewriting-machine-element sustained by saiddrop-table, and means co-acting with said element and adapted to beactuated thereby when shifted in either direction relatively thereto tocontrol said table-locking means.

26. In a typewriter-cabinet, a typewriting-machine unit comprising atypewritingmachine and a drop-table for supporting the same, andautomatic means for locking said table in raised position, saidautomatic means being actuated by a movement of the machine member ofthe machine-unit.

27. In a typewriter-cabinet, a typewriting-machine unit comprising atypewriting machine and a drop-table for supporting the same, automaticmeans for locking said table in raised position, said automatic meansbeing actuated by a movement of the machinemember of the machine-unit,and means for unlocking said dro -table.

28. In a typewriter-cabinet, the combination including the followingelements: a typewriting-machine, a drop-table, and a movable supportingmember arranged in juxtaposition thereto, and means for looking saidtable in raised position and adapted to be released by the cooperatingmovement therewith of one of said elements.

29. In a cabinet, the combination with a typewriting-machine including aslidable member connecting therewith, a drop-table for supporting thesame, a controlling de vice with which said slidable-member coacts,locking-means connecting with said controlling-device and adapted to bereleased when said member co-acts with said controlling-device, andlocking-means to release the drop-table.

30. In a cabinet, the combination with a drop-table for supporting amachine, automatically-operated means for locking the table in raisedposition, a machine supported on said drop-table and having an actuatingengagement with said locking means, and mechanism co -acting with saidlocking means for controlling its operation.

31. In a cabinet, the combination with a machine-supporting drop-table,of mechanism for locking the table in raised position, actuating meansfor said locking mechanism, and a typewriter machine which includes ashiftable member adapted to be positioned in engagement with, saidactuating means for automatically releasing said looking means.

32. In a typewriter-cabinet, a drop-table, means for locking the same inraised position including lugs mounted on saidcabinet and catchesadapted to engage therewith, a controlling-shaft upon which said catchesare mounted, an angle-lever fast on said shaft, a plate arranged injuxtaposition thereto, a lever pivoted on said plate and adapted tocontrol the movement of said angle-lever, a spring encircling saidshaft, means for actuating said pivoted lever, and means for actuatingsaid catches out of engagement with lugs.

33. In a cabinet, a machine-supporting drop-table therein, atypewriting-machine sustained thereby, locking mechanism for retainingsaid table in raised position, shiftable lock-releasing means Includingsaid. typewriting-machine for actuating said locking-mechanism when saidshiftable means is positioned in engagement with said mechanism, andmeans for counterbalancing said droptable and the parts supportedthereby when released.

34. In a cabinet, the combination with a machine-member and a drop-tablefor supporting said machine-member, of means for locking said drop-tablein its raised position, mechanism actuated by movement of saidmachine-member for releasing said lockingmeans, manually-controlleddevices for actuating said locking-means when released, and means forcounterbalancing said droptable when released.

35. In a typewriter-cabinet, a typewriting-machine unit including thefollowing elements, namely, a typewriting-machine and a drop-table forsupporting the same, automatic means for locking said table in raisedposition, said automatic means being actuated by a movement of thefirst-mentioned of said elements of the machine-unit, and meansoperatively connecting with said drop-table for counterpoising it. 36.In a typewriter-cabinet, a typewritlng-machine unit including thefollowing elements, namely, a typewriting-machine and a drop-table forsupporting the same, automatic means for locking said table in raisedposition, said automatic means being actuated by a movement of thefirst-mentioned of said elements of the machine-unit, means operativelyconnecting with said drop-table for counterpoising it. and comprising arotary member, a tension device connectin therewithand tending toactuate it in one ireetion, and a connection between said rotary memberand said drop-table.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

GEORGE W. DONNING. W'itnesses:

CHAS. P. BAT'I, W. L. BILLMYER.

